Chapter Thirty-One: Aunt Cuìhóng Returns Home

  On Sunday, Lu Zhong slept in late, while Du Xiaohu rode his three-wheeled motorcycle out early to the Nanying Police Station, probably the most exhausting and laborious of the seven police stations under Guangning Public Security Bureau, especially during summer when there are many tourists and floating population, leading to endless public security disputes. Now that the peak summer has passed, things have eased up a bit.

  Du Xiaohu was actually very unwilling to go and be the squad leader, of course, not because he was afraid of hardship or tiredness, but because he didn't want to leave Lu Zhuang's side, but Lu Zhuang's orders, he naturally obeyed.

  Lu Zhong hopes he can be tempered at the grassroots level and never grow up without experiencing wind and rain.

  At eight o'clock, Lu Zhong got up on time and came to the courtyard. Under the music of Zhao Zhuang Broadcasting Station's loudspeaker, he practiced a set of military boxing, then went back to the house to heat up the porridge and scrambled eggs cooked by Du Xiaohu, ate hastily, washed the dishes and basin, changed into a gray Zhongshan suit, and prepared to go out for a walk.

  As soon as I walked out of the compound and locked the iron gate, I turned around to see a bicycle passing by my side, followed by the screeching sound of rubber brakes. Then, from the back seat of the bicycle, Aunt Cuìhóng jumped off.

  "Ah, Aunt Cuihong, you're back!" Lu Zhong exclaimed. The other day, Aunt Cuihong and Lu Guobin had a fight, and she ran to her eldest son's place in Qinglong. Lu Zhong went there several times afterwards, but Aunt Cuihong didn't return. Lu Guobin was also very cold towards him, so Lu Zhong left his address behind. It's been over half a month since he last went there, and he had thought about going again these past few days if he had time.

  Seeing Cui Hong's aunt holding her hand and about to wipe away tears, Lu Zhong hurriedly smiled and said: "Aunt Cui Hong, don't be sad anymore, and don't quarrel with Uncle because of me. I'm doing very well, a few years ago I joined the army, last year I retired from the military and now work at the county public security bureau, still a leader."

  Ma Cuihong was stunned and looked at Lu Zhong with suspicion, asking: "Is what you said true?"

  "Such a big thing, can I cheat you?"

  Ma Cuihong looked up and down at Lu Zhong, her eyes red again, and she bowed her head to wipe away tears. "If it's true, my poor little sister will be at peace downstairs too... Auntie Cuihong is useless, didn't take good care of you, but you have made something of yourself, that's stronger than anything..."

  Lu Zhong felt a slight pang in his heart, but he just smiled and gently patted Cui Hong's shoulder, softly comforting her for a few sentences.

  Lu Xiao Ping, who was riding a bicycle next to her, disdainfully curled her lips. Ma Cuihong asked her to bring Lu Zhun over, but she was unwilling, and now hearing Lu Zhun "bragging" made her roll her eyes in disgust. This child who had lived with her family years ago was just a "little beggar" in her eyes, and no matter how many years had passed, this label couldn't be removed from her heart. As for whether Lu Zhun could amount to anything, Lu Xiao Ping wouldn't believe it even if you paid her.

  Although the municipal bureau and county committee have announced Lu Zhong's appointment on Guangning News, nowadays the weekly half-hour Guangning News is all about meetings of various systems and levels of leaders, which are extremely dull. Local people in Guangning almost never watch it, even if they do, they just glance over it, who pays attention to this leader or that leader?

  "Come on in, Aunt Cuihong, Xiaoping. Let's go inside and sit down." Lu Zhong then took out the key to unlock the door.

  Who knew but heard Ma Cuihong say: "Yes, I will never come back again, Zhēngzi, from now on I'll follow you."

  Lu Zhong was taken aback for a moment, then turned back and smiled: "You're still holding a grudge against my uncle?"

  Ma Cuihong grunted and didn't say a word.

  Lu Zhong thought for a moment and said: "How about this, this is the house I share with others, it's not convenient to live here either. Why don't I send you back home first, and we can discuss it further?" Although Lu Guobin was not good to himself, seemingly always bullying Cui Hong, but the two old people had been through thick and thin for most of their lives, and they were already used to this way of life. As they grew older, if they continued to quarrel because of themselves, that would not be what they wanted.

  "Renting together?" Ma Cuihong sighed in disappointment.

  Lu Xiaoping chimed in from the side, "Otherwise you'd think he could get a house? Besides, Zhao Zhuang is a rural area, where would there be a family courtyard like those in the city?"

  Ma Cuihong glared at her and said, "What nonsense are you talking about, you little girl?"

  Lu Zhong wouldn't bother to see a little servant girl, and then went to the courtyard to fetch his bicycle, wanting Cui Hong's aunt to sit on the back seat, with Lu Xiaoping in front and behind, driving away from Zhao Village.

  Lu Zhong's bicycle was a brand new 26" Phoenix, Ma Cuihong smiled with relief: "Zhongzi, looking at your outfit, I feel at ease. Is the bike yours?"

  Lu Zhong hadn't spoken yet, but Lu Xiaoping had already burst out laughing: "Mom, you're asking the wrong question. Whoever rode the 26th must have borrowed it from some female comrade, and who knows if she even knew about it."

  It's true that men ride the "28" model more, but Lu Zhong actually likes the "26" lightweight, although it's biased towards a feminine style, but from his perspective, it doesn't matter.

  Lu Zhong didn't say anything, Ma Cuihong frowned and scolded Lu Xiaoping: "You little girl, don't talk nonsense!" The implication of Lu Xiaoping's words was that Lu Zhong's bicycle was stolen.

  When passing by the roast chicken shop next to the department store, Lu Zhong bought a roast chicken. Ma Cuihong repeatedly asked him not to spend money, but Lu Zhong still bought two bottles of wine and two cans of food.

  Back to the fertilizer plant's residential area 3, Lu Zhong couldn't help but think of Tong Susu, and wonder how the casting for "Dream of Red Mansions" was going. In the previous life's 87 version of "Dream of Red Mansions", Tong Susu didn't even appear on stage, so he had changed her fate after all.

  Lu Guobin was still indifferent to Lu Zhong. When Ma Cuihong was busy cooking, Lu Guobin said: "Let's go out for lunch."

  Ma Cuihong was delighted in her heart, thinking that Lu Guobin had changed his attitude towards Zhuangzi. She said with a smile: "We are all family members, what's the point of going out to eat? The child has already bought many things, we can just add some dishes and it will be fine. Don't go to a restaurant for the sake of this child, or else it would seem too formal."

  Lu Guobin was taken aback, furrowed his brow and said: "What are you thinking about? Today I'm going to invite a distinguished guest. This is Sanhe Township, after all. We're going to build a canning factory. The director is an acquaintance of mine, and it took several times before he agreed to come for this meal. Xiaoping's job depends on her now. I hope she'll make us proud and not get fired like she did at the flour mill."

  Ma Cuihong was slightly disappointed, but finding a job for her daughter was also a top priority. She immediately shifted her thoughts to this and asked: "Then, is there any hope of converting this job to a regular one?"

  Lu Guobin furrowed his brow again: "I'm telling you, old lady, you're really something! You've got a good thing going and now you want more? Just be able to go to work first!"

  Lu Guobin had two sons and four daughters. The eldest son worked in Qinglong, the second son was studying at a university elsewhere, the eldest daughter and the second daughter were both workers in collective enterprises, the third daughter could take over his job after he retired, only this youngest daughter Lu Xiaoping's work had not been settled, which made people worry.

  Ma Cuihong and Lu Guobin were discussing in the house, while Lu Zhong was walking around in the courtyard, looking around and asking: "Has Old Man Xia moved away?" Lu Xiao Ping, who was sitting under the locust tree, looked at him with a belly full of anger and said: "What's it to you if someone moves away?"

  Outside, a crisp bicycle bell rang out, and Lu Xiaoping immediately beamed with joy, dashing out like the wind. Before long, she led in a young man by the hand, who was probably in his early twenties, slightly thin, with sunken eyes that seemed somewhat shifty. The Lenin suit he wore hung loosely on him, making him look even more comical.

  Judging from the intimate attitude between Kan and Lu Xiaoping, they should already be a confirmed couple, and it's probably not far from getting married.

  Lu Xiaoping is not particularly beautiful, but she looks clean and neat, which can be considered above average. She has always had high standards for men, so it's unknown how she fell in love with this young man.

  "Dad, Mom, Xiao Liang is here!" Lu Xiaoping shouted into the house, and then led the young man inside. However, she didn't even acknowledge Lu Zhen, but instead, the young man took several glances at him.

  Listening to the family of four chatting warmly inside, with laughter occasionally coming out, Lu Zhong smiled and slowly sat down under the locust tree, smelling the fresh scent of the green leaves, Lu Zhong was slightly distracted.

  The scene before his eyes made Lu Zhong feel as if he had returned to many years ago. Although Aunt Cuihong loved him, intentionally or unintentionally, he was not her biological son after all. Many times, the joy of others' families excluded him, and he was indeed an outsider.

  The people who care about me the most in this world, apart from my deceased foster mother, are probably the old mothers of Beijing. Although they don't speak much and rarely show their emotions, over all these years, they have actually been quietly paying attention to me behind my back.

  Lu Zhong lit a cigarette, silently smoking, and also saw Cui Hong's aunt poking her head out to call him in. He just smiled and shook his head at Aunt Cui Hong.

  It wasn't long before Aunt Cuihong and her family of four came out laughing and chatting, with Lu Guobin looking very enthusiastic, patting the shoulder of a young man called Xiaoliang, being extremely affectionate.

  Ma Cuihong came to Lu Zhong's side and said, "Let's go, let's go to the restaurant together, Dongmi Garden, the dishes inside are expensive." In order to persuade Lao Touzi to allow Lu Zhong to go together, Ma Cuihong spent half a day trying to convince him, and finally Lu Guobin agreed. Only then did Ma Cuihong put down her worries.

  Ma Cuihong also instructed Lu Zhong: "Later, you just take care of eating meat and don't worry about anything else." In fact, this was also what Lu Guobin had entrusted, only the original words would not be so euphemistic, but rather said: "When going to a restaurant, tell that gluttonous thing not to speak, just eat and drink to satisfy his hunger!"

  What kind of person is Lu Zhong? Many things, he doesn't say and it doesn't mean he doesn't know. He smiled and said: "Good." After a few months, I saw Cui Hong again, and didn't want to part ways like this, so we had to have dinner together.